As a current Harvard student, I could have written this with an understandable bias to defend my soon-to-be alma mater, even if I haven’t agreed with their initial handling of student protests. But, as I read the letter that the Trump administration wrote to Harvard University, another identity decided it needed to speak instead. That of a Marine veteran who served this country.

Like many Harvard students, I started off my Monday seeing President Alan Garber’s email to the entire Harvard community pledging to fight the demands by the Trump administration to concede changes to the university structure or lose funding. Of course, in this world of partisanship most people have already decided where they want to be in this fight.

MAGA Republicans are beside themselves with glee that one man can cripple the country’s oldest institution of higher learning as well as any other institution that makes him mad. And of course, on the other side, are Never-Trumpers who will fight against anything President Trump says. However, in this incredibly nuanced world that we like to paint over with broad strokes, there is truth to criticism of the university.

Many people feel that Harvard didn’t do enough to protect Jewish students and faculty when protests broke out on the conflict in Gaza. And they are correct. Like many other campuses, Harvard Yard became a battleground and attracted characters that seemed more intent on degrading Jews than stopping carnage in Gaza. Or even worse, using the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza to push a culture of intolerance here in the United States.

Harvard had a lot of pushback from angry alumni, the most prominent being Bill Ackman, who threatened everything from doxxing current students, withholding donations and refusing to hire pro-Palestinian protestors. Here is the thing; that worked. Harvard started to make moves over the last 15 months from barring students from waking at graduation to dismissing leaders of the Middle Eastern Studies Center.

It seemed like Harvard does listen to its very powerful alumni base while also trying to maintain the right to speech on campus. It’s a tricky line that will never make everyone happy, but it’s the right way to do things.

© The Hill